THE death of an Oxfordshire First World War veteran was marked at a memorial service at Westminster Abbey yesterday.
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, senior politicians and the heads of the armed forces attended the service, which was held following the deaths of Britain’s final First World War veterans earlier this year.
William Stone, above, from Watlington, was one of the final three veterans who passed away in 2009. The former Royal Navy chief petty officer, who served in both world wars, died aged 108 in January. His death was followed by that of fellow veterans Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch 111.
Yesterday, Mr Stone’s daughter Anne Davidson read a passage from the Bible during the service, marking the moment 91 years ago when guns fell silent in Europe.
During the service, the Queen placed a poppy wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, assisted by Victoria Cross holders Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry and Trooper Mark Donaldson.
Actor Jeremy Irons, who lives near Watlington, read the Last Post by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, written to mark the passing of the last of First World War generation.
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